Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment Scale
What It Measures
The Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment (CMSA) has two halves that answer different questions. The Impairment Inventory asks how much the stroke has affected the body; the Activity Inventory asks what the person can actually do.
The Impairment Inventory rates six dimensions — postural control, arm, hand, leg, and foot, plus shoulder pain — each on a 7-point scale. For the five movement dimensions, the seven points are stages of motor recovery, from most impaired at stage 1 to no evidence of impairment at stage 7. Shoulder pain is staged by severity instead. The Activity Inventory covers 10 gross motor items (rolling, sitting, transferring, standing) and 5 walking items, scored 1 to 7 from complete dependence to independence.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Learn More: The Impairment Inventory's seven stages correspond to the Brunnstrom stages of motor recovery, which is why the tool is used to classify patients into homogeneous subgroups as well as to track change.
